Hi there
Yesterday I bought my first DSLR . NIkon D40 and I'm veri impressed with it. I have it with 18-55mm lens and it is great.
I wanted to do some macro shots (insects, flowers, etc) and I don't know what sort of macro lenses to use. I will be really gratefull for any advise.
Regards
Tom

Hi there
Yesterday I bought my first DSLR . NIkon D40 and I'm veri impressed with it. I have it with 18-55mm lens and it is great.
I wanted to do some macro shots (insects, flowers, etc) and I don't know what sort of macro lenses to use. I will be really gratefull for any advise.
Regards
Tom

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Good for you!

Common macro's are usually found f2.8 in the 90mm to 105mm range

Your D40 won't autofocus on many of them but most people manual focus macro shot's anyways...

I have the Sigma 2.8 105mm on for my D60 and it works great... you will also need either a tripod or monopod... and a shutter remote will help too...

yes I also have some decent macro shots of flowers and some bugs with the kit lense. It suffices until you get better, then you'll want different lenses. For now I am just using the kit lense while I'm still learning about photography and the settings on my camera. have fun!

I'm thinking about getting this camera too. I read that there's no live view on the LCD screen. Then I read that it's that way on most of the DSLR's out there. Now, I think I've read here a couple of posts up-thread that there's no timer on the D40? Is that right?

Anyway, congrats on the new camera! Can't wait to see some of your shots with it! I'm into close-up bugs too. HAHA

Hi there
I wanted to do some macro shots (insects, flowers, etc) and I don't know what sort of macro lenses to use. I will be really gratefull for any advise.
Regards
Tom

Click to expand...

Perhaps before you spend $300+ on a macro lens, try a set of close up lenses or filters first (You can Google them on eBay) or get them from your local photo store. They will run anywhere from $25 - 100 depending on brand and quality, and are simply glass elements, which like filters, thread on to the front of your lens and because of the way they are ground, allow you to focus very close.

Congratulations on getting your D40! I'm sure you'll be amazed at all the tiny little features you can fiddle about with; I know I am! I must say that the kit lens that comes with the D40 is very good for close-up photographs. It has (approximately) a 1:3.2 reproduction ratio, which means that a 3.2cm object will be 1cm on the sensor (the sensor is about 2.5cm wide by about 1.4 high), so you can get some very nice close-up shots already. A true macro lens has a 1:1 reproduction ratio (I say true because a LOT of the cheap zooms label themselves as macro when they only have a 1:2 or even 1:3 repro ratio).

If you've got the money, then the Nikon 60mm AF-S 2.8 is a very good macro lens. (Argh! You Americans get everything so cheap!!!). This has about the same zoom as your kit lens, and this also doubles up as a very nice portrait lens. If you're interested in shooting insects or moving subjects, however, then the Nikon 105mm f/2.8 Macro would be a better choice.

Of course, these are some pretty expensive lenses, and are only really useful if you want to shoot small subjects (at 1:1, a 2.5cm by 1.3cm object will pretty much fill the entire frame). If you're wanting to shoot closer with your 18-55 kit lens on a budget, then a set of extension tubes or a close-up filter would be a good idea.

I'm thinking about getting this camera too. I read that there's no live view on the LCD screen. Then I read that it's that way on most of the DSLR's out there. Now, I think I've read here a couple of posts up-thread that there's no timer on the D40? Is that right?

Anyway, congrats on the new camera! Can't wait to see some of your shots with it! I'm into close-up bugs too. HAHA

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Hi
As you wanted this is sample of my 18-55mm makro try.

That's it for now. I hope to get some more nice shots this weekend.
Thanks
Tom